How good are all of the quarterback situations in the SEC going into spring football?
It’s not just about the starter. It’s about the depth, the options, and how much work each team needs to do to be ready to roll in August.
We rank all 16 SEC quarterback rooms as they appear to be now that the transfer portal has settled a bit.
Ranking the SEC’s Quarterback Units Before Spring Practice
Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer (10) before an NCAA football game between the Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and Kent State Golden Flashes at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. © NATE BILLINGS/FOR THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
(© NATE BILLINGS/FOR THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Again, this isn’t all about the starting quarterback. Of course, having a superstar under center has a lot to do with the ranking of each team’s quarterback room, but factor in the depth and experience, to go along with the talent.
In general, yes, having an established, veteran starter moves things up a few notches.
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16 Vanderbilt
Don’t be shocked if Jared Curtis comes out slinging and the Commodore passing game is great, but Diego Pavia was a special talent who’ll be impossible to replace.
15 Kentucky
Is Kenny Minchey (Notre Dame) going to be ready to roll right away? He’s a nice talent, but the program is starting from scratch under Will Stein. The quarterback depth will take a while to develop.
14 Arkansas
This isn’t a totally horrible situation with enough options come up with a true pecking order under Ryan Silverfield, but there’s a slight problem if KJ Jackson doesn’t rock.
13 Florida
It’s Florida, and Jon Sumrall is a fantastic coach, but the quarterback room is shockingly meh at the immediate moment. How good is Aaron Philo? The Georgia Tech transfer is a decent option, but losing DJ Lagway to Baylor hurts.
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12 Tennessee
Put this up way higher – and we will in the summer version – if Joey Aguilar gets another year of eligibility, which he probably won’t. There are a whole lot of eggs being put in the George MacIntyre basket. It’s Tennessee – things will turn out better than this ranking.
11 Ole Miss
Crank this all the way up to No. 1 if and when Trinidad Chambliss gets another year of eligibility. As is, the situation isn’t bad with Deuce Knight coming in from Auburn to potentially take over, but the hope is for Chambliss to get the right ruling.
10 Missouri
Considering all of the injuries and work needed to be done to keep the offense going last year, there’s a real chance the position could be upgraded if Austin Simmons comes in from Ole Miss and settles it. There’s decent enough depth in case things go wrong again.
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9 Alabama
Keelon Russell has a ton of talent and should shine in the Kalen DeBoer system – you don’t get into the Alabama starting quarterback mix without being great – and Austin Mack has skills, but there’s little meaningful experience to rely on right away.
8 Auburn
The Tigers got the quarterback to go along with the head coach. Byrum Brown made USF go 1000 miles per hour, and now he’s about to do the same at Auburn. The only question mark is the depth.
7 Texas A&M
This isn’t any sort of knock on Marcel Reed – he’s as good as any quarterback in the SEC. But the depth behind him isn’t there yet.
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6 Oklahoma
This is a whole lot of love being given to John Mateer. He really is good enough to be the signature star of the 2026 college football season – as long as he stays healthy – but developing the depth is everything this spring.
5 Mississippi State
Don’t dismiss the Bulldogs here – the QB room is potentially fantastic.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, everyone needs to develop their depth. Mississippi State is getting AJ Swann from App State – he started out at Vanderbilt – and Jaden Rashada from Sacramento State to work behind rising star Kamario Taylor.
4 South Carolina
LaNorris Sellers is talented enough to be in the NFL – he probably would’ve been the third quarterback off the board this year. He’s fantastic, and getting Lucian Anderson from Bowling Green is a nice insurance policy.
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3 Georgia
No, Gunner Stockton isn’t flashy, and he might not look or play like the NFL types might like, but he’s as rock-solid and dependable as any starting quarterback in the country. Bryson Beaver was a nice get from Oregon.
2 Texas
It’s not just Arch Manning, although Texas probably should be No. 1 on this list on him alone. The Longhorns are loaded with promising backups with Coastal Carolina transfer MJ Morris, but …
1 LSU
The depth and talent are phenomenal. Lane Kiffin went after the quarterback stars, and he set this up perfectly. When healthy, Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt is a baller’s baller who should rock right away, but USC transfer Husan Longstreet is the star-in-waiting.
And, again, it’s Lane Kiffin. Don’t be stunned if Elon’s Landen Clark – a statistical superstar last year for the Phoenix – makes a push.
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Related: Texas A&M Football 2026 Schedule Outlook and Analysis
This story was originally published by College Football News on Feb 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
